Saga of the Sioux

September 1, 2011

A wrenching account of the injustices the Sioux endured from white men and the battles that ensued, based on Dee Brown's classic Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. 

Brown's work, considered groundbreaking in 1971, told the painful history of Native Americans in the late-19th century from their perspective. Rather than just shorten the weighty original, Zimmerman draws from chapters about the Sioux as representative of the broken treaties, battles, suffering and death. The fluid chronological adaptation conveys the view that "an overwhelming number" of settlers, soldiers and men in authority were "arrogant, greedy, racist, murderous, and cruel beyond belief," a conclusion supported by the many well-told accounts of travesties. Except for references to the Civil War, the author offers little historical or social context. He rarely mentions women, although the controversial term "squaw" appears once. The overall effect feels dated, including occasional flowery prose from the original book, such as "the remnants of the once proud woodland Sioux awaited their fate." Except for material supporting the introduction and epilogue, source notes are not included; readers are referred to the original for Brown's. Photographs, including many by Edward Curtis, and illustrations with useful captions appear frequently in the attractive, open design.

Flawed and no longer groundbreaking in its perspective, this nevertheless offers a readable description of an essential part of American history. (time line, glossary, suggested websites, recommended reading, index) (Nonfiction. 11-15)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

Gr 6-9-It has been 40 years since the publication of Dee Brown's seminal work on the conquest of the American West from the Indian perspective. That the book was and remains a cultural force is unquestioned, but its accessibility has been vastly enhanced by this adaptation. Zimmerman's focus on one tribe condenses the length of the book while keeping intact the issues and the indignities visited upon the Native American tribes between 1860 and 1890. Well-known figures such as Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse attain new dimensionality, and the story taken as a whole is nothing short of unnerving and, ultimately, heartbreaking. A final chapter covers the Native American movements of the 1960s and 1970s as well as the state of tribal advocacy today. Spellings of names and places follow closely those in Brown's original, sometimes given in both the Anglicized and Native versions. The narrative style is straightforward and readable, depending heavily on primary-source documentation, an exemplar of sound historical research. Black-and-white period photos appear throughout, as do maps of the territory under discussion. Back matter includes a detailed time line from 1851 to 1909 and information on the Sioux calendar. A powerful work, this book will serve as a discussion starter and as an educational tool. It's especially useful for illuminating the fact that the historical record depends heavily upon the viewpoint of those recording it.-Ann Welton, Helen B. Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Grades 5-8 This adaptation of Dee Brown's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (1971) focuses on the Sioux and covers the period from 186090. Zimmerman describes several important encounters between the Sioux and U.S. government representatives (Blue Coats), including the Sioux's expulsion from Minnesota, various battles fought in the Powder River and Black Hills regions, and numerous examples of treaty breaking by the U.S. government. Throughout, Zimmerman provides the Indian point of view, using Sioux terms for names, places, and months, adding clarifying English translations. His tone is matter of fact, but readers will be painfully aware of the Sioux's growing anguish during their systematic removal from their homelands and attempts to teach them white ways. Illustrated with period photos, drawings, and maps, this is sure to spark discussion. Although no source notes are provided, young readers will appreciate the appended time lines, websites, and bibliographies. Amy Ehrlich's Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West (1974) is a more complete adaptation of Brown's work for a slightly older audience, but history classes and others interested in this period will welcome this offering.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)